"Compaq presario v2000 - cd/dvd player"

my laptop will no longer play or burn cd's - i have not tried to burn a dvd. i am not computer literate if you get me. the only thing the cd player does is play a dvd of a friend wedding - help... my friend says the lense may have gone - however like i say it plays the wedding dvd ta si

Your problem could be software or hardware. To determine this try booting your laptop into safe mode. Once in safe mode try to read a cd. If you can read a cd in safe mode then your drive is ok, and something that has been installed (software) is conflicting with the drivers that allow the drive to read cds. You can also test the drive's ability to read cds by booting the computer with a bootable cd, (such as a Windows XP install cd) A successful boot of the cd will also confirm that your drive can still read cds, and point to a software problem/conflict.

If you are unable to read cds either by booting from a bootable cd, or by trying to read a cd while in safemode, your drive will need to be replaced. In which case you will need to contact HP (HP owns Compaq) for a replacement drive.

Thanks Whiskers, appreciate the tip, i will try this and see what happens. One quick thing, please could you remind me how to boot up in safe mode, if my memory serves me correctly i think i hold either F6 or F8 function key whilst the laptop is powering up? Thanks for your help mate.

OK, started he laptop in safe mode, tried to play cd and it still did not read it. Unfortunately I cannot find a windows bootable cd (just moved house). I think whiskers you said that maybe I would need to replace the drive - can you shed any light on why it still plays dvd'd as it is the same lense that would read a cd and components etc? Thanks a million guys. S